Electrostatographic light sensitized drum cleaning arrangement in wet-type development

ABSTRACT

An electrostatographic light sensitized drum cleaning arrangement in wet-type development process wherein a latent image is removed by pressing a rotary body against the surface of the drum whose one portion is immersed in a developing solution.

United States Patent inventor Fried Walther VonGrabe Koenigstein, Germany Appl. No. 820,576 Filed Apr. 30, 1969 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 Assignee Kabushiki Kaisha Ricoh Tokyo, Japan Priority May 2, 1968 Japan 43/295 1 8 ELECTROSTATOGRAPHIC LIGHT SENSITIZED DRUM CLEANING ARRANGEMENT IN WET-TYPE DEVELOPMENT 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Fig.

US. Cl .i 355/15,

51 1 Int. Cl 003; [5/06 [50] Field olSearch 355/3, 15

[56) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.i28,683 4/1964 Rubin 355/15 Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistan! Examiner-E. M. Bero Attorney-Burgess, Ryan and Hicks ABSTRACT: An eiectrostatographic light sensitized drum cleaning arrangement in wet-type development process wherein a latent image is removed by pressing a rotary body against the surface of the drum whose one portion is immersed in a developing solution.

CLEANING ARRANGEMENT IN WET-TYPE DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electrostatographic light sensitized drum cleaning arrangement and more particularly an improved arrangement for cleaning an electrostatographic light sensitized drum for wet-type development.

It is well known in electrostatography to have a photoconductive layer imparted with an electrostatic charge. The layer is then exposed so as to form an electrostatic latent image. and the image is developed by a liquid developing agent. The developed image is then transferred to a suitable record support such as a paper sheet. In this case. it is an important problem to thoroughly clean the drum which includes the photoconductive layer in order to make good quality copies, but so far no satisfactory cleaning arrangement has been proposed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, the present invention provides an arrangement for cleaning an electrostatographic light sensitized drum for use in wet-type development comprising the step of pressing a rotary brush against the surface of said drum which is disposed so as to have its one portion immersed in a developing solution, thereby cleaning thoroughly the surface of the drum and solving the aforementioned problem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single FIGURE illustrates one preferred embodiment according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the single FIGURE a drum 3 has an electrically conductive support 2 and a photoconductive layer 1 formed thereupon. The drum 3 is arranged in such a manner that one portion of the drum 3 is always immersed in a processing solution or developing solution 4 within a developing solution chamber 5. A recording support 6 such as a paper sheet is provided in contact with the surface of the drum 3, which is the photoconductive layer 1, and this contact is maintained by an image transfer electrode 7 disposed on the other side of the recording support 6. A rotary brush 8 is disposed within the developing solution 4 in such a manner that the brush 8 may be pressed against the drum 3 or removed away therefrom.

Reference numeral I0 designates an optical system for fonning an electrostatic latent image upon the surface of the photoconductive layer 1.

When the toner particles remain upon the surface of the photoconductive layer 1 after the image has been transferred to the recording support 6. These particles can be easily separated from the surface of the drum when immersed in the developing solution 4 and removed therefrom into the solution by means of the rotary brush 8. It is preferable to position the rotary brush 8 so as to contact the lowermost portion of the drum 3 within the solution 4 for attaining the best result.

According to the present invention, the toner consumption can be minimized and the drum can be thoroughly cleaned from the remaining toner particles as compared with the case in which the remaining particles are cleaned of! from the drum at the exterior of the developing solution by means of a brush.

Iclaim:

1. An electrostatographic light sensitized drum cleaning arrangement in wet-type developing comprising an open chamber having developing solution containing particles therein;

an electrostatographic light sensitized rotatable drum having part thereof immersed in said developing solution; said drum having a photoconductive layer formed thereon; an optical system adapted to form an electrostatic latent imafe upon said layer, said optical system spaced from sa: drum in a location opposite to the immersed part of said drum;

a recording support having recording paper thereon positioned in rotatable contact with said layer, said recording support located between said optical system and said immersed part of said drum;

a lever;

a brush mounted for rotation at one end of said lever, said brush and lever being completely immersed in the developing solution in said chamber, the other end of said lever mounted in pivoting relation on the side of said chamber; and

said lever being pivotable to selectively move said brush into and out of particle cleaning contact with a portion of said layer that has been rotated to be immersed after passing said optical system and said recording support.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRETION patent 3,622,237 Dated November 23, 1971 Inventorfli) Bernt Fried Walther von Grabe It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Correct name of inventor to read:

Bernt Fried Walther von Grabe Column 2, line 6, replace "When the" by The Signed and sealed this 2nd day of May 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.F'LEICHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSGHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents RM o-1050 [10 -693 Case 1770-97 SCOMM-DC 60376-5 69 

1. An electrostatographic light sensitized drum cleaning arrangement in wet-type developing comprising AN OPEN CHAMBER HAVING DEVELOPING SOLUTION CONTAINING PARTICLES THEREIN; AN ELECTROSTATOGRAPHIC LIGHT SENSITIZED ROTATABLE DRUM HAVING PART THEREOF IMMERSED IN SAID DEVELOPING SOLUTION; SAID DRUM HAVING A PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER FORMED THEREON; AN OPTICAL SYSTEM ADAPTED TO FORM AN ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE UPON SAID LAYER, SAID OPTICAL SYSTEM SPACED FROM SAID DRUM IN A LOCATION OPPOSITE TO THE IMMERSED PART OF SAID DRUM; A RECORDING SUPPORT HAVING RECORDING PAPER THEREON POSITIONED IN ROTATABLE CONTACT WITH SAID LAYER, SAID RECORDING SUPPORT LOCATED BETWEEN SAID OPTICAL SYSTEM AND SAID IMMERSED PART OF SAID DRUM; A LEVER; A BRUSH MOUNTED FOR ROTATION AT ONE END OF SAID LEVER, SAID BRUSH AND LEVER BEING COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN THE DEVELOPING SOLUTION IN SAID CHAMBER, THE OTHER END OF SAID LEVER MOUNTED IN PIVOTING RELATION ON THE SIDE OF SAID CHAMBER; AND SAID LEVER BEING PIVOTABLE TO SELECTIVELY MOVE SAID BRUSH INTO AND OUT OF PARTICLE CLEANING CONTACT WITH A PORTION OF SAID LAYER THAT HAS BEEN ROTATED TO BE IMMERSED AFTER PASSING SAID OPTICAL SYSTEM AND SAID RECORDING SUPPORT. 